Iran To Dispatch Delegation To Yemen To Examine Details Of Diplomat Martyrdom : Official

Tehran, Jan 22, IRNA – Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliament and Iranian Expatriates Affairs Hassan Qashqavi said Tehran is dispatching a delegation to Yemen soon to examine details of assassination of its martyred diplomat Abolqassem Assadi. He made the remarks here Wednesday morning while talking to reporters on the sideline of the funeral procession of the assassinated diplomat. He said the dispatch of the delegation is to react to the sensitivity of the public opinion towards the terrorist act. Stressing that based on international conventions it is the duty of the host governments to protect foreign diplomats, he pointed to the responsibility of the Yemeni government in the case of assassination of the Iranian diplomat. Asked to comment whether Iran is to close up some of its embassies because of terrorist operations, Qashqavi said it was the ultimate desire of Iranˈs enemies to tarnish the countryˈs relations with its neighboring Muslim nations. He said Iran has to be present in any place it deems as appropriate for diplomatic campaign. In an answer to a question about the final destiny of another abducted Iranian diplomat in Yemen, he said an Iranian delegation is currently in Sanaˈa to tackle the issue. He hoped that no similar incident would happen to the abducted diplomat. Funeral procession of the martyred Iranian diplomat was held here this morning. Assadi, 57, financial and consulate officer of Iranˈs embassy in Sanaˈa was assassinated by gunmen in the center of the city last Saturday. Foreign Ministry, in a statement, by condemning the terrorist act, called for serious investigation of the case as well as trial and punishment of the perpetrators of the inhuman act. Yemen charge dˈaffaires in Tehran was summoned to Foreign Ministry and received Iranˈs strong protest concerning the terrorist act./end